ICT Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has called for greater international cooperation, capacity-building and trust to ensure responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector.

“The key question is not simply how quickly we adopt AI, but how wisely, responsibly and inclusively we govern and regulate it,” he said, according to a press release.

The minister made the remarks while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day interregional conference titled “AI Governance in Practice: Practical Use Cases, Institutional Capacity, Innovation at Scale and Global Cooperation” in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The conference is jointly organised by Korea, Türkiye, the Astana Civil Service Hub and the UNDP, bringing together ministers and senior officials from countries across the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, along with representatives of the UNDP and international development partners.

Anam said AI is no longer merely a technology of the future, as it is already transforming government decision-making, public services and development processes.

He identified trust, capacity-building and international cooperation as key principles for effective AI governance.

Referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s remarks at the UN General Assembly, he said AI should not create new forms of inequality but should help address existing disparities.

“Let us ensure that today’s digital divide does not become tomorrow’s AI divide,” he said.

The minister also called for greater technology transfer, skills development and affordable access to modern technologies to ensure the benefits of AI are more widely shared.

He expressed hope that the conference would help create a platform for innovation, trust and inclusive technology, ensuring that no country is left behind.

Anam reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment and support for the initiative.